20081268 Ver 3_9-30-19 Site Visit Memo_20191003

Strickland, Bev
From:
Katie Webber <[e-mail]>
Sent:
Thursday, October 03, 2019 4:44 PM
To:
Davis, Erin B; Haupt, Mac; [e-mail]; Tugwell, Todd J CIV USARMY
CESAW (US)
Cc:
Bradley Breslow; David Godley
Subject:
[External] Tull Wooten III Site Memo
Attachments:
9-30-19 Site Visit Memo.pdf
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
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Good afternoon,
Please see the site memo from our visit to the proposed Tull Wooten III site on Monday, September 30th. If you
have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to email me.
It was a pleasure to meet you all and I look forward to working with you on this and other projects.
Thanks,
Katie Webber, LPSS, CPSS
Project Manager
RES I res.us
Direct: 540.905.4388 1 Cell: 410.279.5741
1

MEMORANDUM pres
302 Jefferson Street, Suite 110 Raleigh, North Carolina 27605 919.209.1052 tel. [phone] fax
TO: NCIRT and NCDMS
FROM: Katie Webber — RES
Brad Breslow — RES
DATE: October 3, 2019
RE: Summary of site visit to Tull Wooten III, Perry Farm, Kinston, NC
IIf.Y:TO W.TTal i7I �93.Y\i.�d�I17UEIIII;SVA
Attendees:
Mac Haupt, DWR Brad Breslow, RES
Erin Davis, DWR Katie Webber, RES
Todd Tugwell, USACE David Godley, RES
Overview of Site Visit:
Attendees met onsite at the lodge at Perry Farm to briefly discuss the regulatory history of the site and the submitted
draft mitigation plan. Attendees also addressed primary areas of concern by the IRT members from their initial
review of the draft mitigation plan. The first reach visited was TW4, which is currently proposed as a preservation
reach on the eastern limit of the project area. The TW4 reach has significant drop and rock outcrop control features
in the channel. Upper limits of this reach have invasive species including privet dominating the canopy. After this
reach, attendees reviewed the northernmost portion of the TW2-A reach, which is upstream of a farm road. The
upper limit of the stream is located on an off-site parcel that is not under RES control, despite negotiations to acquire
the parcel. The attendees then walked south to TW2-A and reviewed TW3 as well, before walking south down the
extent of the TW2-A reach. No work will be conducted on the upstream portion of TW3; however, the riparian
corridor of the ditch will be planted for nutrient credit. At the downstream extent of the TW2-A reach is a forested
area that was recently mulched by RES due to a heavy, impassible understory of privet. The Enhancement I reach,
TW2-B, begins at the downstream extent of TW2-A, and flows into the preservation reach TW2-C. The TW2-C
reach intersects an existing road crossing and then discharges into wetlands in the Neuse River floodplain. The
attendees then walked counterclockwise around proposed wetland preservation area WF along an existing dirt road
that abuts Tull Wooten I and Tull Wooten II, adjacent mitigation banks owned by EBX-Neuse 1. Attendees made a
detour into Tull Wooten I and II to review the preserved cypress swamps there, and review effects of recent flooding
of the Neuse River. Finally, attendees continued counterclockwise along the boundary of the proposed wetland
preservation area back up to TW 1, currently proposed for preservation, along the western limit of the project area.
The TW 1 reach has a bedrock -controlled section of the stream with steep banks. There is significant privet in this
riparian area as well.
Findings (by reach):
TW4
• This reach may not be of high -enough quality to be considered preservation. RES should consider
making this an enhancement reach at a ratio of 10:1. Although stream work may not be needed on
the reach, work to establish a more favorable vegetative community could secure ecological uplift.

TW3
IRT members suggested RES should revise the adaptive management strategy to present potential
crediting adjustments for work that may be conducted on this reach during the monitoring period.
Group agreed with proposed approach.
TW2-A
• Regulators agreed that moving the channel out of its current position will be beneficial for this
reach. The old channel will need to be filled.
TW2-B
• Group agreed with Enhancement I approach with series of structures to step down to the
preservation reach.
TW2-C
RES originally included this reach as preservation in order to make the connection to the wetland
preservation area. The section downstream of the existing road should be removed from the
crediting scenario as it is not high quality and the culvert and existing road are impairments to the
stream. A ford at this location may be preferable to a culvert, although aggradation of sediments
transported from upstream may be an issue at this location.
WF
• RES should review and cut out high relief areas (i.e. sand ridges) that do not meet hydric soil
parameters.
TW1
Similar to reach TW4, this reach may not be of high -enough quality to be considered preservation.
RES should consider making this an enhancement reach at a ratio of 10:1. RES should revise the
adaptive management strategy to present potential crediting adjustments for work that may be
conducted on this reach during the monitoring period.
After reviewing DWR stream determinations, RES identified that the upper reaches of TW 1
(above the confluence) are non -subject and are either ephemeral or ditches according to those calls.
Therefore, RES needs to revise the mitigation plan to remove proposed crediting on the upper
limits of this reach. RES proposes to start crediting at the downstream end of the culvert that
attendees visited during the site visit.
Summary of Findings:
• Change TW4 and TW 1 to low-level enhancement reaches.
• Revise the adaptive management plan section of the mitigation plan to propose crediting ratios for
work that may occur during site monitoring on enhancement reaches, such as livestaking, or other
work, such as bank grading or supplemental planting.
• Remove the portion of TW2-C that occurs downstream of the existing road crossing.
• Remove the culvert and replace with a rock ford at the stream crossing of TW2-C.
• Revise wetland delineation within WF to ensure sand bars are excluded from jurisdictional areas.
• Consider alternative culvert options at the crossing on TW I.
• IRT agreed that RES can incorporate these comments along with any other comments received on
the draft mitigation plan and proceed with the development of the final mitigation plan.